Pepper has to be imported to meet the demand from overseas, as the remainder of the production after the local use is inadequate to meet the export demand, according to the sources.

If a ban is imposed, the exporters will be in trouble.

On the other hand, the local producers, numbering 400,000 families, are unable to sell their produce due to the re-exportation.

Sri Lanka exports around 15,000 metric tons of pepper annually to earn an income of Rs. 10,000 million.